As 2021 draws to a close, it’s time to once again reveal our top 100 R&B Songs of the Year List. We’ve linked up with our friend Edward Bowser of SoulInStereo.com once again to put together this year end list.
The R&B genre really need a pick me up after the tough year we faced in the world in 2020 and the lack of releases as a result. In fact for the first time, our Top R&B Songs List of 2020 only included 70 songs instead of the typical 100.
We are happy to report that 2021 gave us just what we needed. We are back at 100 songs on the list and there was truly good music being made across the board. Obviously there was more great music being made than just what is highlighted on this list, but from what we were able to listen to all year, this is what we felt was deserving.
The picks below are a culmination of the choices of Tom and Kyle of YouKnowIGotSoul.com, and Edd of SoulInStereo.com. We each selected our favorite songs of the year, combined our lists, and put them all together into one big one.
If there is a song below you haven’t heard below, it’s definitely worth your attention. Please take a few minutes to listen.
Without further ado, YouKnowIGotSoul.com and SoulInStereo.com present the Top 100 R&B Songs of 2021! (click any song title to listen)
1) The Shindellas – Volcano Love
2) Joyce Wrice – Chandler
3) Eric Roberson – Lessons
4) Salaam Remi – All I Need is You (featuring Claudette Ortiz)
5) After 7 – Made A Man Of Me
6) Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
7) Victoria Monet – Coastin
8) Sidibe – Ready Enough
9) Snoh Aalegra – In Your Eyes
10) The Shindellas – When You’re Lonely
11) India Shawn – Too Sweet (featuring Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
12) Joyce Wrice – Falling In Love (featuring Lucky Daye)
13) Kevin Ross – Looking for Love
14) Adrian Marcel – I Gotchu (End of the Day)
15) Van Jess – Slow Down (featuring Lucky Daye)
16) India Shawn – Superfine
17) Jazmine Sullivan – The Other Side
18) Teedra Moses – Make Me
19) Kevin Ross – Sweet Release
20) Joyce Wrice – On One (featuring Freddie Gibbs)
21) Gallant – Comeback
22) Sevyn Streeter – Taboo
23) Lucky Daye – How Much Can a Heart Take (featuring Yebba)
24) Ari Lennox – Pressure
25) Gallant – No More Tries (featuring Van Jess)
26) Sinead Harnett – Ready Is Always Too Late
27) Silk Sonic – Smokin Out The Window
28) Gallant – Julie
29) Silk Sonic – After Last Night (featuring Thundercat & Bootsy Collins)
30) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – Happily Unhappy (featuring Toni Braxton)
31) Leela James – You’re The One
32) Netta Brielle – Missin You
33) Kenny Lattimore – Pressure
34) India Shawn – Don’t Play With My Heart
35) Jade Novah – I Just Wanna Know
36) Kevin Ross – Lady Love
37) Victoria Monet – F**K
38) Leela James – Complicated
39) Snoh Aalegra – Just Like That
40) After 7 – No Place Like You
41) Anthony Hamilton – I Thought We Were In Love
42) Robin Thicke – Lucky Star
43) Joelle James – Apply Pressure
44) Raheem DeVaughn & Apollo Brown – If I Made Love To You
45) Anthony Hamilton – You Made a Fool of Me
46) Earth, Wind & Fire – You Want My Love (featuring Lucky Daye)
47) Muni Long – Hrs and Hrs
48) Rochelle Jordan – Broken Steel
49) Keith Sweat & Raheem DeVaughn – Can’t Nobody
50) Raheem DeVaughn & Apollo Brown – Zaddy (featuring 3D Na’tee)
51) Robin Thicke – Out of My Mind
52) Stokley – Cascade (featuring The Bonfyre)
53) H.E.R. – Come Through (featuring Chris Brown)
54) H.E.R. – Closer To Me
55) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin My Heart) (featuring Mariah Carey
56) NAO – Messy Love
57) Tank – Can’t Let It Show
58) Kindred the Family Soul – Break It Down
59) Raheem DeVaughn & Apollo Brown – When a Man
60) Lion Babe – Home
61) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – The Next Best Day (featuring Boyz II Men)
62) Van Jess – Come Over Again
63) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – Maybe I’ve Changed (featuring Heather Headley
64) Snoh Aalegra – Neon Peach (featuring Tyler the Creator)
65) PJ Morton – Please Don’t Walk Away
66) Snoh Aalegra – Lost You
67) Tone Stith – When You Love Someone (featuring H.E.R.)
68) Justine Skye – Innocent (featuring Justin Timberlake)
69) Stokley – Rush (featuring H.E.R.)
70) Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – Do It Yourself (featuring Usher)
71) Afgan – Alone With You
72) Hil St. Soul – Blessed (featuring Noel Gourdin)
73) JoJo – Dissolve
74) Tweet – Neva Gonna Break My Heart Again
75) Trevor Jackson – Bouts To Be
76) Kelly Price – Grace
77) After 7 – The Day (featuring Stokley)
78) Ruff Endz – Be the One
79) Mack Wilds – Simple Things
80) Lady Wray – Under the Sun
81) Stokley – Lost
82) Louis York – Headphones
83) Lil’ Mo – Shining Star (featuring T-Pain & Fatman Scoop)
84) BluPrint – Go Don’t Leave
85) Elijah Blake – Dark Skin (featuring D Smoke, Durand Bernarr & Muni Long)
86) Summer Walker – Insane
87) Bobby V. – I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
88) JoJo Hailey – Official
89) JoJo Hailey – Got What U Want (featuring Devin Hailey)
90) Tinashe – Bouncin
91) D-Nice – No Plans For Love (featuring Ne-Yo & Kent Jones)
92) Brent Faiyaz – Wasting Time (featuring Drake)
93) Mario – Get Back (featuring Chris Brown)
94) Donell Jones – Karma (Remix featuring Dave Hollister, RL, Carl Thomas & Jacquees)
95) Queen Naija – Passionate
96) Tank – I Deserve
97) Mr. Dalvin – And I
98) Gary “Lil G” Jenkins – That’s My Baby
99) Alicia Keys – Come for Me (featuring Khalid & Lucky Daye)
Really enjoyed the list. LOVE that Afgan made it. I stumbled on that project. Solid.
Thanks!